My daughter is nine months old and has fevers regularly. Is it because her gums are swollen, and it looks like she may be teething? My husband’s aunt said we should make a small slit in her gums to help the teeth erupt. I’ve never heard of that, but she said she did it with all four of her children. I will not slit my baby’s gums, but are fevers common with teething? – Thanks. Aletia
Aletia,
We are glad that you are not considering slitting your daughter’s gums. We do not recommend It and have never heard of that practice. Teeth erupt unless they are impacted for some reason. Attempting to accelerate the process may prevent teeth roots from forming fully and supporting teeth.
Are Fevers Related to Teething?
Teething symptoms vary with each child. Not all experience a fever with teething. According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, teething symptoms may include the following:
- localized discomfort
- irritability
- low-grade fever
- excessive salivation
What If Permanent Teeth Won’t Erupt?
If you see a permanent tooth erupting in your child’s mouth, but the primary tooth is still there, schedule an appointment with a dentist for an exam. A dentist may need to extract the primary tooth. Otherwise, the permanent tooth may erupt to the side rather than its correct position.
Molar Teeth
Erupting premolars that replace the primary molars may not dissolve the roots of a primary tooth. If so, the primary tooth will remain attached to several undissolved roots and not fall out before premolars erupt.
Front Teeth
Permanent incisor teeth may erupt incorrectly if the primary teeth don’t have spaces between them. Your child’s dentist may consult an orthodontist to determine whether to remove enough primary teeth to allow the front teeth to erupt correctly. The orthodontist may recommend relieving teeth crowding to ensure front teeth are straight before your child needs orthodontic treatment later in life.
